The Shang Lioness
by Cruento Rosa
Summary: Possibly will be changed to the Shang Phoenix depending on what happens further on in the plot. Basic gist - Alanna becomes a Shang Warrior, rather than becoming a knight or going to the convent. Rating will probably change in later chapters.
1. Prologue

//Flashback//  
  
"Thom. That's it!" From the look on her face, Thom knew his sister had just come up with yet another crazy idea. "What's it?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
Alanna looked around and checked the hall for servants. "Tomorrow he gives us the letters for the man who trains the pages and people at the convent. You can imitate his writing, so you can do new letters, saying we're twin boys. You go to the convent. Say in the letter that you're to be a sorcerer. The Daughters of the Goddess are the ones who train young boys in magic, remember? When you're older, they'll send you to the priests. And I'll go to the palace and learn to be a knight!"  
  
"That's crazy," Thom argued. "What about your hair? You can't go swimming naked, either. And you'll turn into a girl - you know, with a chest and everything."  
  
"I'll cut my hair," she replied. "And - well, I'll handle the rest when it happens."  
  
"No Alanna! This is different to when we made Lady Catherine see ghosts and the cook have hallucinations. What you are talking about is lying to all sorts of important people like King Roald and the Mother Superior and I shall not play a part in such treachery." He scolded her. "As much as we both dislike it, I shall leave to become a knight and you shall leave to become a lady. That is the end of the story Alanna." Thom told her before leaving the room.  
  
Alanna kicked the wall angrily causing several books to fall off a nearby shelf. She swore at her twin, the one person she had trusted to always watch her back and support her. She walked purposely towards her room, having made her decision and once in it withdrew from her drawers several items of clothing, yet unpacked for her trip to the convent and shoved them irritably into a small bag, followed by a large amount of coins and jewellery. She snuck out of the house when the bell chimed signalling the onset of nightfall.  
  
Alanna managed to creep past the man standing guard and was away, off to make her fortune as a Shang warrior.  
  
**  
  
Thom knocked timidly on his sister's door. Her purple eyes had blazed in defiance when Thom had refused to go along with her plan and he had wisely decided it best to leave her to calm down.  
  
When he didn't get a response he opened the large oak door, still cautiously, to find that his sister was not there. He searched the house in its entirety, beginning to feel very worried.  
  
**  
  
A yell went up that vibrated through the whole of Trebond estate; everyone cringed apart from a short red haired girl who continued to pick her way through the brambles.  
  
//End Flashback//  
  
Alanna stretched against the wooden seat and grimaced. Perhaps it was not such a good idea to come meet Thom after all this time. She loved her twin; her animosity towards him had gradually faded away as she came to the conclusion that in the event of things, she had got the better deal; but what would she say? It had been over ten years since she had last seen her twin; it was not that she had not wanted to visit, assure him of her safety, it was just that she was Shang. When you practised the art of Shang, there was room for nothing else.  
  
This was the first time she had ventured out of the Shang Citadel and only because it was required of her. She would spend one year among the normal population and then return to receive her Shang title. After the meditative state all Shang reached within the quiet of the Citadel, she felt almost lost in this bustling city full of noise, thievery and trickery.  
  
She had listened for all information related to Thom though and found out quite a lot about her twin's latest antics that way. It was said that he had befriended the prince and other very high ranking nobles and that he had fought in the battle against Tusaine. He was to enter the Chamber this week to undergo his Ordeal. Alanna had been released a couple of months before and thought that she owed it to her twin and to herself to at least turn up and see him through that; she could go afterwards, he needn't even know that she had been there at all.  
  
She felt eyes boring into the back of her head and slowly turned her head to see a tall man with hazel eyes staring at her from amongst a large group of others. She returned to her original position and finished her drink. She signalled the bar man for another tankard while she pondered over the oddness of Corus.  
  
(A/N: First part of the prologue is a direct lift from the original novel Alanna: The First Adventure.  
  
The ** marked above two of the paragraphs signify a change in time or place or point of view. I did use a funny little infinity sign but it didn't show up on the site.  
  
Hmmm. Not bad, looks much smaller than it did when I wrote it. I shall probably update this chapter later if I decide to continue on with this story - I have many of my own original work to do but I felt like doing a fanfic for some reason today) 


	2. Old Friends in new situations

**  
  
George stared at the red haired woman that sat in his inn; she looked like a commoner with her red hair pulled hurriedly back into a pony tail and her un-dyed shirt and breeches but George prided himself on recognising noble born. She sat alone in a booth and sipped at her drink. She had been there for quite some time but had only got through three tankards. A few men had tried to approach her but she had just stared at them, unnerved by her violet gaze they had mumbled their excuses and left her alone.  
  
"George, my friend, still clutching to your throne I see?" A man's voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see Liam Ironarm, Shang Dragon.  
  
"What you be doin' here Liam?" He asked in a friendly tone. The Dragon's eyes went a crystal colour.  
  
"I've heard that things are going to be going down in Corus shortly; I wanted to be here when the action begins." He told George. George looked up sharply; he had not heard any of these rumours. "Now, if you will excuse me; I must say hello to a friend of mine." With this he strode over to the booth where the noble dressed as a commoner was sitting and tapped her on the shoulder lightly.  
  
She turned around and her face lit up with a smile as she embraced him in an amiable hug and invited him to share her table. On good terms with the Shang Dragon? Who was this woman? His curiosity got the better of him and he excused himself from the conversation, stepping past his court and walked over to where the Dragon and the woman were happily conversing.  
  
**  
  
Alanna looked up surprised into the eyes of the Shang Dragon. "Liam!" She exclaimed, her entire demeanour changing; she leapt up and enveloped him in a friendly hug. He reciprocated the gesture and signalled for them both to take a seat. She looked around and noted sheepishly that many of the inhabitants of the inn were staring at them. She sat in the chair across from Liam and questioned him. "What are you doing in Corus?"  
  
"Would you prefer me not to be?" He rallied. Alanna blushed and hit him lightly on the shoulder.  
  
"You know that is not what I meant. I was just curious what brought you into this rat infested city." Her eyes darted around, looking at the less than salubrious company amongst them.  
  
"Now, is that any way to talk about someone's home?" A man's deep voice enquired lightly. Alanna spun to face him, her face flushed with embarrassment.  
  
"Why didn't you say there were a local behind me?" She hissed at Liam. Both men chuckled, much to Alanna's annoyance. "I am sorry for the insult to your glowing city." Alanna said through gritted teeth. She did not want to get involved in an argument with this man as much as she was spoiling for a fight; he was not worth causing a riot within the city walls.  
  
"Glowin'?" He commented raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Yes, glowing. Have you got a problem with my vocabulary now?" She demanded hotly. This man was severely testing her patience. She looked up at him to find him grinning; she looked down again and stared into her half empty tankard.  
  
"Just not a word I would use to describe Corus 'tis all. Corus is my own bonny city but I think it more rat infest'd than glowing." When she glanced up at him through her eyelashes he winked at her. Infuriated she stood up to confront the man, only to be pulled back into her seat by Liam.  
  
"Don't be teasing her. Alanna doesn't have much but her pride." Liam told the man, a grin spreading through his eyes. Alanna did not share the joke and glared at him indignantly.  
  
"If I had nothing but my pride, I would not spend so much time in your company because you constantly belittle me. And Ironarm, last time I checked, I had a lot more than just my pride." She commented haughtily, standing up and leaving the two men behind blinking, one favouring a beautiful shade of red on his cheeks.  
  
**  
  
"Are you two court'n then?" George asked Liam curiously. Liam shook his head mutely. Ye Gods, Liam Ironarm has been struck dumb by the mere presence of this woman.  
  
"No," he answered honestly, "Although I have had the pleasure of being Alanna's companion before. She is not the one for settling down is our Alanna; she is known for it, even amongst us Shang." George followed the conversation dazedly while he thought about the lass with the red hair and purple eyes that could penetrate the soul. She had the respect of the Shang Dragon; he was impressed and possibly attracted as well.  
  
A thought went through George's head. "What's her rank?" He blurted out. Liam blinked, a bit shocked at the sudden outburst.  
  
"She doesn't have one as yet. This is her year outside the Shang Citadel to prove herself and gain her rank." He paused and raised an eyebrow at George. "Why?"  
  
George shook his head and regained his composure. "No reason." He said. "You were saying about the state of Sarain?" He directed the conversation away from the red head  
  
Liam's eyes glinted with amusement and yet another one falls into the depths of her eyes and finds himself drowning.  
  
(A/N: I don't know where this is going really. Do I introduce Alanna to Jonathon and thus make the set complete? I was going to have Alanna and George have a run in with Claw but realised that without Alanna, Ralon would not have left Court to become Claw. Also, with Alanna not there would Jonathon be King? I have already decided that Queen Lianne will be the one to suffer and die from The Sweating Fever, not Jon. So yeah, the question is whether the Duke has killed King Roald yet? It's weird thinking about how all those characters lives would completely change without Alanna there.) 


	3. Just Alanna

Alanna threaded her way through the maze of the city, keeping to the back alleys. Her feet padded softly across the sodden cobbles. A dust bin fell over, alerting her of another's presence there. Her eyes spun around wildly until they settled on a group of rogues. She grinned and pulled from her sais from her breeches, twirling them in a threatening yet dazzling pattern of dance.  
  
They pulled back from the edge of the weapons and drew their own blades. Alanna smirked. She loved her sais and she was undefeated with them. "I am Shang. You do not want the trouble that it would cause to steal from my purse." She told them, swinging her sais into an even more complex pattern.  
  
They looked unsure but one countered cockily, "what would a Shang warrior be doing walking amongst the back streets?" He raised his hand to strike her down with his sword but she moved, all but a blur to their vision. He blinked; she rushed at him and uncurled her foot into his stomach. He went down moaning.  
  
She moved slower this time to place herself over him when I voice called out from behind her. "Leave the poor lad be. He's young an' foolish." She turned to find the man that had been at the bar staring at her. "Go on. Leave us." He directed the rogues that remained standing. They bowed their heads muttering various 'yes majesty' 's in the general direction of the man before grabbing their fallen colleague and sprinting back out the alley the way they had come.  
  
She raised an eyebrow at him. "King of thieves?" She enquired, deducing this from the other rogues' manner of speech towards him.  
  
He inclined his head slightly and told her, "George Cooper." He told her extending his hand for her to shake. She took it and grasped it firmly; even through her light Shang gloves she could feel the calluses on his palms.  
  
"Alanna." She informed him. He looked at her quizzically before asking.  
  
"Alanna..?"  
  
//Flashback//  
  
"Your name?" The Shang Bear asked while he stood hunched over the form he was filling in.  
  
"Alanna of Trebond." Said the red haired girl. He glanced up at her coldly before looking back at his sheet.  
  
"This isn't usually a Noble's profession. What did your parents say?" He asked coldly his large figure still bent over the table.  
  
"They do not know. I left to come here and become a Shang warrior." She told him proudly. He did not seem impressed. He stood up and grabbed her roughly around the wrist. She bit back a wince at his tight hold on her.  
  
"Look here Lil Missy. This ain't no summer camp that you can run away to when your pa won't buy you the doll you asked for. This is hard work and isn't to be taken lightly. Just 'cause you're a noble doesn't mean the teachers or the pupils will treat you differently. They won't bow down to any of your high an' mighty superiority either." He told her forcefully.  
  
She looked indignant and mustered up all her courage to confront this large man. She would not be frightened away by a man that appeared to be more ogre than human. "I did not expect that kind of treatment. However, I truly do wish to become a Shang Warrior."  
  
Surprise registered in his eyes which he quelled quickly. He grunted. "Well, you're a tad old but if this is truly what you want then I suggest you remove the title from your name 'cause once we're through with you the you won't be needin' any of those fancy titles. You'll 'ave one of your own and you'll 'ave earned it!" His eyes glittered with malicious amusement. "So, I'll ask you again; name?"  
  
Alanna did not look impressed. "Just Alanna then, I shall not replace my name with a false one but if not having my title is necessary then I shall not have it." The Shang Bear looked vaguely astonished but then shook his head and replaced the look with a blank face, portraying nothing of his emotions.  
  
//End Flashback//  
  
"Just Alanna." She told him firmly. He did not make a fuss like many did when she told them this.  
  
"Well then, Just Alanna, What say that you accompany me for a drink?" George asked in a friendly tone.  
  
She shook her head. "What I could really do with is accommodation for the night." Realising how that sounded she blushed a light red while George tried to hold back a fit of laughter.  
  
"Right you are then. Follow me." He turned around and left the alley and Alanna followed close behind.  
  
(A/N: Next chappie I'll have them in the Danching Dove and perhaps introduce Jon that way like you suggested DragonDaine and we shall see how it goes from there. I think I shall keep it as Jon being Prince for now, easier for him to move around unnoticed. That being the case, would he be the Duke's next target? Ignore me, I'm rambling now. Thank you for reviewing!!!) 


	4. Jon hits a sore spot

The inn was bustling with life, the smell of alcohol permeating the air. Alanna let her eyes sweep around the room cautiously. She felt uncomfortable, in her home she had always yearned for the lively bustling cities but spending years in a meditative Shang life made her feel uncomfortable not being able to hear what all the conversations around her were involving; it made her insecure.  
  
The King of Thieves directed her towards the centre of the crowd, coming to a stop at a table set beside the hearth. The men and women sitting around it moved out of the way for George to make his way to its head, taking Alanna with him. She took a seat next to him and the rogues sat back down looking curiously at her. She shifted uneasily at the sudden silence at the table; after a deafening minute of quiet it erupted in discussion once more and she breathed a sigh of relief. George chuckled beside her.  
  
She whirled around angrily, cheeks reddening and he sent a maddening grin her way before lifting his tankard up in mock toast and gulping some of it down. "So what brings ye to Corus lass?" He enquired genially, studying her face.  
  
"Personal reasons," she answered shortly. She was still questioning whether her brother would appreciate her visit and whether sitting around in a tavern was any way to achieve a high ranking title when she returned to the Shang citadel. He raised an eyebrow but a tall, dark haired man making his way over to the table saved her having to delve into her family matters.  
  
"Perhaps I could have a word George?" He asked politely, glancing from George to Alanna.  
  
"Sure ye can, Johnny." He told the man, standing up from his seat. He turned back to her briefly, "Do ye want me to find some accommodation for ye now? I know this lot can be less than welcomin' at times but they're a good bunch." He said, inclining his head to the chattering group. She nodded silently and got up with him. "Be with ye soon Johnny. Amuse the lass for a while will ye?" He asked as Alanna made her way over to them. Alanna glowered at George's retreating back.  
  
"You're related to Thom them?" Jon asked deceivingly casually. Alanna spun around, her violet eyes widening for a second before she quickly schooled her features.  
  
"What is a Noble such as yourself doing amongst commoners?" She returned icily. She had not wanted to deal with any of her Noble brethren until the ceremony and then it would have been on her own terms. His eyes darted around the inn quickly but the continued noise indicated no one had heard.  
  
"I could ask the same of you," he stated calmly, his intense blue eyes piercing hers.  
  
George came back up to them, telling her, "Solom has a room to spare; upstairs, second on the left." He looked at both Jon and her confused.  
  
"I am not a Noble." She hissed vehemently before stalking off in the direction of her room.  
  
**  
  
"You upset her a fair bit didn't ye Jon?" George asked lightly, staring bemused at the spot that the red head had occupied moments before. Jon shook his head, clearly shocked, before asking  
  
"Who is she?"  
  
George waited a moment before answering. "An initiate of the Shang Order. The Dragon holds her in high regards and I'd like to keep her close."  
  
"Her name?" Jon pushed.  
  
"Alanna."  
  
//FLASHBACK//  
  
"I hear it's your birthday," Jon commented his head bent over a magic book. "A whole year older, congratulations." His class partner mumbled something incoherently. Jon looked up and studied the younger boy for a moment. Poor guy wasn't really cut out for knighthood; the only time he seemed happy was when he was in the class for the Gifted that he had campaigned so long for and even this did not seem to lighten his mood today. "Cheer up man," Jon said awkwardly. He didn't really know the guy after all.  
  
"It's my sister Alanna's birthday today as well. We were twins." He said suddenly. Jon looked at him, this was the first time he had shared anything personal about himself to anybody as far as he was aware. "I let her down and she ran away," he finished miserably.  
  
//END FLASHBACK//  
  
Jon whistled and then murmured, "the sister's back."  
  
(A/N: My deepest apologies. I know it has been a long time since I reposted and I was honestly considering discontinuing this fanfic, I've been spending so much time on my original work. Then you go and review and I feel obligated to write more. *sticks out tongue*. Not that I mind of course. Lol. Could do with your advice, I don't even know if I am writing IC any more. Just like to point out that although there are a load of shang fanfics now, when I started this it was fairly original *doesn't like taking overdone themes* Now the only other thing to consider is... Am I cruel? Is Thom going to die in the chamber of the ordeal?) 


End file.
